A rip current is a narrow, fast-moving channel of water that starts near the beach and extends offshore through the line of breaking waves. If you do get caught in a rip current, the best thing you can
do is stay calm
. It’s not going to pull you underwater, it’s just going to pull you away from shore.
How far out do rip currents take you?
Rip currents are generally no wider than about 15 m (
16.4 yards
), so you only need to swim a short distance to try and get out of the current. Once out of it, you should be able to stand up and make your way back to shore in the areas where you can see breaking waves.
Should I worry about rip currents?
This makes rip currents especially
dangerous to beachgoers
as these currents can sweep even the strongest swimmer out to sea. Because rip currents move perpendicular to shore and can be very strong, beach swimmers need to be careful. A person caught in a rip can be swept away from shore very quickly.
What should you do if you are caught in a riptide?
This one is tricky, but extremely important to remember: if you’re stuck in a riptide, you need to
stay calm
. Stay mellow, float along, and try to breathe deeply and normal. If you panic, your breathing will pick up and you may exhaust yourself, pass out, or even inhale water by mistake.
Can a rip currents pull you under?
Myth: Rip currents pull you under water.
It can drag you down, but
it’s not truly treacherous because you won’t be held under for long
. Just relax and hold your breath, and you’ll pop to the surface, often on the back side of the waves breaking near shore.
Where are the worst rip currents?
Hanakapiai Beach, Hawaii
– Powerful Rip Currents
Nestled in the Napali Coast of Kauai and only accessible by the Kalalau Trail, Hanakapiai Beach is one of the most dangerous places in the world to go swimming due to powerful rip currents and waves that are known to sweep people out to sea.
How do you escape a rip current?
swim parallel
. The best way to survive a rip current is to stay afloat and yell for help. You can also swim parallel to the shore to escape the rip current. This will allow more time for you to be rescued or for you to swim back to shore once the current eases.
How far can a riptide pull you out to sea?
These strong and often very localized currents can carry unsuspecting swimmers out to sea. The currents usually move at 1 to 2 feet per second (0.3 to 0.6 meters per second), but stronger ones can pull at
8 feet per second
(1.6 meters/second).
How do you survive an undertow?
So what should you do if you’re caught in a rip current?
Swim parallel to the shore
, out of the path of the current. Once you’re out of the current, you can swim back in to shore. Most rip currents are 50 to 100 feet wide, so you shouldn’t have to swim too far to escape its pull.
What are 5 signs that might help a person sport a rip current?
- A break in the incoming wave pattern. A channel of churning, choppy water. A line of foam or debris moving seaward. …
- Stay calm. Don’t fight the current. Swim in a direction following the shoreline (parallel). …
- Many people have died while trying to rescue others caught in rip currents. Don’t become a victim yourself.
Will a life jacket save you in a rip current?
Get help from a
lifeguard
. If a lifeguard is not available, have someone call 911. Throw the rip current victim something that floats – a life jacket, a cooler, an inflatable ball. … Remember, many people drown while trying to save someone else from a rip current.
What’s the difference between riptide and undertow?
In physical oceanography, undertow is the under-current that is moving offshore when waves are approaching the shore. … An
undertow occurs everywhere underneath shore
-approaching waves, whereas rip currents are localized narrow offshore currents occurring at certain locations along the coast.
What’s the prettiest beach in the world?
- Saud Beach, Luzon, Philippines. …
- Elafonissi Beach, Crete, Greece. …
- Nungwi Beach, Tanzania. …
- Hanalei Bay, Kauai, Hawaii. …
- Copacabana, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. …
- Cape Le Grand National Park, Western Australia. …
- Clearwater Beach, Florida. …
- Sotavento Beach, Fuerteventura, Canary Islands.
What is the deadliest beach in the world?
- Most Dangerous Beaches. …
- Skeleton Coast – Namibia. …
- Cape Tribulation – Australia. …
- New Smyrna Beach – Florida. …
- Fraser Island – Australia. …
- Hanakapiai Beach – Hawaii. …
- Utakleiv Beach – Norway. …
- Boa Viagem Beach – Brazil.
